Study of the impact of Mobile Assisted Language Learning on vocabulary learning in Spanish as a Foreign Language and English as a Foreign Language

Details

Supervisors

Meunier, Fanny ; De Cock, Barbara

Faculty

Faculté de philosophie, arts et lettres

Degree label

Master [120] en langues et lettres modernes, orientation générale

Abstract

enThis study investigated the impact of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) on vocabulary learning in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL), and more particiularly the following questions: (1) What is the impact of teaching with technology on EFL and SFL freshers’ vocabulary gains? and (2) What are EFL and SFL freshers’ perceptions of integrating technology in the classroom? To do so, EFL and SFL students were divided into two groups: a control group and an experimental group. While the control group was taught a series of target words with a pen and paper approach, the experimental group was taught the same series with a MALL approach. Before the experiments started, they were asked to fill in a pre-questionnaire about their personal data and their beliefs regarding the effectiveness of the use of technology in vocabulary acquisition. At the end of the experiment, students took an immediate posttest to evaluate their vocabulary gains and were asked to fill in another survey which investigated their perceptions of the MALL approach during the sessions. A few weeks later, they took a delayed posttest. Results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group at the immediate posttests, but this discrepancy was less marked at the delayed posttest, and for the SFL learners. It may be partly due to the fact that the technology enabled for a greater psycho-cognitive conditions for the learners. The survey revealed that students changed their perceptions of the use technology in a slightly more positive manner after the experiments took place. It also seemed that EFL learners were less enthusiastic than their SFL peers regarding the use of technology during the sessions. The positive beliefs in the effectiveness of technology in vocabulary learning seemed to have motivated some learners, which may have led to a greater performance in vocabulary gain.